James Mathis

Nicely done. James

One of my most sincere desires when I approached the design of Santa Fe cars sets 10022 and 10025 was that train builders far and wide would be inspired to use the raw set parts and rebuild the Santa Fe into MOCs fairing even better than the official set. I hoped that the official sets would be good enough to enjoy as they were, but also they could be a starter parts pack to build glorious other streamliner train MOCs, be the required roof pieces for any train car, or even transfer to gray parts for castles and space ships. Bigger better bolder! Enspiring and enabling. Building for others. Building from others. We build together even in a quiet silence or a remote abode. My apologies for any embarrassment. I am glad you realize your dream while you also recognize and we honor Mr. Robert Carney. His bold build is wonderful. I like to play. James

Nice job rendering the in-game locomotive and set. Should an official winter train become available, I guess my wish would be for a more conventional "everyday" livery of black (possibly with a special "highlight" trim) and adorn the locomotive, tender, and wagons with the requisite, but removable, holiday flair of wreaths, gold trim, and bits of white tiles for snow. In this way, the decorations could be removed for relevant operation outside the holiday season under the tree. It would surely be welcome to include dark gray (and red?!) train wheel housings. I like the white bits of "snow" adorning the track. (But, what do I know about what makes $$ sense at the market? Any train... a good train. It's fun to speculate, and read of others' Winter wishes.) -James

ust60: Your Super Chief set is progressing nicely. I look forward to how you build the end observation car, 8-knob wide. Back in Spring 2001 I tried these. Ultimately, the official set 10022 LEGO® employee designer proposed and chose the trans-clear macaroni bricks. I had fun later transforming those trans-clear macaroni into a "vista" dome car, even though the Chief's Pleaseure Dome-- I think-- had polygons of flat window glass. I hadn't the opportunity to extend the set 10022 into a fourth-in-one option done car. That would have been fantastic, but if I recall correctly, the official LEGO Super Chief cars were meant to be representative of the first run real life Chief, which, correct me if I'm wrong, did not include a dome car of any type. I finally realized this 6-wide Pleasure Dome build which I found quite satisfying. http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=72876 Perhaps you've seen the above already? Along with others' ideas, the widening to 8-knobs, you're own new excellent design ideas, and new elements that I'm unaware, I think your design will look impressive! The solutions in 8-wide are very nice. I'm am truly enjoying your periodic updates to your Super Chief project. Aloha, James

When artistry satisfies and engineering motivates, the entire package rules the rails. Expertly conceived and delivered! -James

Beautiful. You address this train to your desire! I always love to see the custom improvements and enlargements of this grand train in LEGO form. Nicely done. I wish you great progress to the finish. Aloha, James Mathis

A beautiful build. Glad for you to realize it into the real brick. CAD to brick achieved! Indeed, clever bits and great details. James

Beautiful model. Excellently engineered! Such a nice running gear in motion. -James

Stunning! Great detail and use of parts in creative ways. Bow and arrow pantagraph?! Brilliant! -James

A new winter train set?... I look forward to the reality-- I wonder what style will present... Probably not what I wished for Christmas: https://ideas.lego.com/projects/85295 c'est la vie, -James

The foundation of Super Mega Steam Power Train Builder was to build on basic running gear and tender structure. I wanted to offer a platform on which a builder could start with a solid functioning drive train and wheel configuration. With this as a starting point, the builder could top it off with their own creative ideas as to what the boiler, cab, and tender enclosure and decorations would be. My idea of a basic platform certainly is not universal enough for all type of steam locomotives, but, I hoped, it would give the aspiring train builder a good beginning to a greater end, and the advanced train builder a nice parts-pack. http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=6195361 I offer the LDD lxf files for your examinations. Super Mega: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=550498 Winter Village Express: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=549642 Should you download and explore these train designs, I hope you find them interesting, if not inspiring. I add my thanks to all of you who supported my LEGO IDEAS projects. -James

I wish the best to everyone who seeks the magic formula for a train project at LEGO IDEAS. I tried 3797...I tried. I tried my hand at two LEGO IDEAS train projects. But, I didn't have a good enough design, promotional effort, a mass-appealing product, nor the requisite compelling presentation. The first was "Super Mega Steam Power Train Builder". https://ideas.lego.com/projects/86744 I think the SMSPTB concept may have spoken to your desire for a steam locomotive with dark green doors and train windows (but not 3-wide). I attempted to deliver a multiple-build creator-style vision reminiscent of the 10183 Hobby Train, and offer compatibility with legacy 9v and Power Functions. Alas, into oblivion at 660 supporters. My "Winter Village Express" train idea froze at the station with a frigid response of 307 supporters. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/85295 My interpretation of a train befitting the quaint and charming Winter Village envisioned the pioneering days of rail travel with a locomotive of the likes never before on offer. The entirety of the set would be convertible, accentuated with optional bits of accumulating winter snow which could be removed upon Spring's fairest thaw. Again, I wish the very best to all who aspire to realize an IDEAS production. At the very least, hopeful of the expectations in yet to be new official train sets. Aloha, James

Simply stunning. I love the collaborative aspect. The modularity. The detail. The choice of colors. An incredible accommodation for equally incredible trains. Yeah, they play with LEGO®...really well. James

Very nice use of the submarine propeller hub.

Super clever work, all! Love seeing these studies and solutions. Very cool stuff. -James

David, Simply fantastically packed with SNOT and clips. Your seven(wow! Seven!) years of development really showcases the set well. Even more so, glad to hear of your career success story that has enable you to realize the vision of your dreams so that we may enjoy and be inspired by your talent. Bravo. Aloha, James

Very nice rendition of the train and setting.

Great work! You definitely produced a stunning design solution. Loved your description of design ideas, tries, compromises, and then final result. Nice process. James

Great multi-models combo pack design.

You might consider finding the old LEGO® Hobby Train 10183 set. Even if you don't source a complete set, you may find steam locomotive inspiration within the model designs on offer. http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=15963 Maybe one more vote...? ;-) Only 21 days left on a (my) hapless LEGO IDEAS "Super Mega Steam Power Train Builder" project. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/86744 One of the underlying fundamental 'ideas' of "Super Mega" was to provide the builder with a basic-generic-if-not-period-perfect steam locomotive platform. The modular design approach allows you to be the designer, able to fairly easily pick what wheel/axle configuration you want, then give some ideas for what goes on top of the basic running gear chassis, drive, and articulation mechanism. You customize the boiler, cab, and tender to your liking and deviate at will for livery and style. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/86744/updates Here is a direct link to the basic wheel configurations, running gear, tender and Power Functions bits (motor, IR receive, and battery box). http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=6195361 I invite you to download the LEGO Digital Designer files and explore the design further. http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=550498 I have tested a real world brick built prototype of this Super Mega Steam Power Train Builder running gear (poor quality video not worthy of public consumption), but it was slightly different before I tweaked it in final LDD form for the LEGO IDEAS project submission. I second all the great suggestions others have provided. Good steam building to you. - James "tootin' his own horn" Mathis

Well done! All the details just great. The length and love the coaches and touches to make this a real brick train of excellence. Thanks for the credit. I appreciate that, but even more so I like how much better you made it. James

My collection has a lot of monorail track and some other items, which I'm selling here, Brick Built Trains & More. https://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?sID=3388 Unfortunately, I only have 83 posts out of the requisite 100 to post a for sale announcement at the Eurobricks buy, sell, and trade forum. -James PS: administrator monitor, I understand if you need to remove this post if it is in violation of forum rules. My apologies.

Paul's Ohio St stadium is massive. One billion bricks. (Dr. Evil moment) thanks for pointing me to that story. Incredible.

Depending on the responses I get from some that I have solicited about the entire collection, I may keep separate those junkyard MOCs of mine if there is sincere interest in others taking ownership of them. I'm so glad that my BOB train and Eurostar train have survived relatively unscathed. BOB: Pre-2001 (original photo may have been 1998 or 1999 before I started uploading to Brickshelf): http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=4604 Today: Eurostar: Over a decade ago: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=11818 Today: I think BOB was my first truly satisfying mature train replica in which I pushed the elements, my mind, and brick set purchases to source all the parts in the required colors to achieve the model in my mind. I want to remember Eric Brok (LEGO On My Mind) my he rest in piece, for I remember fondly his brilliance of train design and his original contributions to the foundation of "close-coupling" techniques and tilting mechanisms. http://archive.pbrick.info/LEGO%20on%20my%20mind%20%20Roboworld.htm And, to so many others from whom I learned great train building techniques. I sincerely wish I could remember the train builder from Japan whose Shinkansen utilized the SNOT-wise 1x2x3 window panel arrangement to achieve the fantastic train car window aspect ratio. I first used it I'm my Cisalpino, and everyone who built the Horizon Express got to experience it. Cisalpino: Back then: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=4991 And today (what has survived obliteration): So much history from so many. So much more to be writ by those who create the train models of today and tomorrow. Should keep some? I should share some. Perhaps none of these sourcing trains of mine should be destined to the brick-recycler, even though they be incomplete junk or not quite nice in comparison to MOCs of today, should be preserved instead of parted out into a random collection? Maybe some day there will be a model hall of historic train MOCs from designers from around the world? Again, there are so many contributors and persons of influence in the art of creation trains using LEGO elements. Can you imagine a place where surviving MOCs of hobby artist designers from around the globe, who have since passed from this world, are gathered together and on display to preserve and recognize the history and blossom of a burgeoning hobby into a mature art form? I would not envy the curator of such a venture. But, if this is art, then it will happen. Who knows what will come, or what junk today might be a treasure tomorrow? Deconstruction only serves to deny this preservation. Who knows what will be relevant in the future, but from my personal recent experience opening this 10 to 15 year old time capsule of trains, it would seem a shame to have these MOCs of mine-- or anyone's' MOCs-- sold off as bulk only to be parted-out into their loose aggregate. However, the irony of the basic tenant that LEGO models are as such, by design and intent, meant to be designed, built, played with, enjoyed, then taken apart to become something new, is not lost upon me. The ego is a tricky fellow! I take heart in the fact that most of my designs are preserved in different ways: 1) my own brick builds 2) LDraw and LDD virtual designs 3) and the inspired MOCs that others have built and fashioned into their own beloved creations based on my original designs (mostly design studies, incomplete, or faulty finds when the creation is realized in the real brick.) To this end, and the articulation of desire to own one of my original creations, I will indicate to prospective buyers of my collection that my MOCs on Maui may not be coming with. This may complicate matters in terms of complete sets, but even though I am confident in the preservation of parts in my collection, I can't fault any would-be buyer from hesitating to trust me. So, perhaps keeping my MOCs is of minimal consequence? Since the buy may have to be based on bulk weight and a smidgeon of intrigue based on the set list for potentially high value sets and the occasional rate and highly valued element. What a wind I've blown. Tooting my own horn. Wondering if anyone else "out there" is as "out there" as I? Anyone? ;-) "I can feel the conflict waging inside you?" ;-) Aloha, James

Hi wondermonkey, That's a bummer. I thought I was the only one, as well. Back in 2007 or 2008 I was at a playground in Keokea. I met a man there who said he built models with LEGO elements and knew about, or had a collection, of the LEGO Santa Fe Super Chief train sets. We exchanged names and talked about our LEGO hobby a bit. Unfortunately, I'm terrible with names and contacts, and we never met up again nor contacted each other. Else, he thought I was wacky, with my having said that I helped designed the cars for the LEGO Super Chief train set. To this day, I'm rather bummed that I failed to meet up with him again. I have heard that there is a German fellow who lived in Kihei that designs models with LEGO elements. I don't recall his profession or his name, even though I recall looking up his website some years ago. (Sigh). I think his primary designs and builds are LEGO sculptures and mosaics. Looks like I missed this. Very nice from you. http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=63868 And this UP looks great http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=82114&st=25 Aloha, James